What is AcceleDent + free consent and practice integration template

Key takeaways

AcceleDent is an FDA-cleared supplemental orthodontic device that uses SoftPulse Technology, a 30 Hz micropulse, to speed up bone remodeling during active treatment.

Patients bite on the mouthpiece for 20 minutes a day, and manufacturer-sponsored studies report treatment time falling by up to 50%.

AcceleDent Optima, cleared in 2017, is the current generation and replaced the earlier Aura model.

Informed consent, patient selection and appointment workflow decide whether the device earns its place in a treatment plan.

Practice management software like Pabau covers the paperwork side, with customizable consent forms, automated reminders and a patient portal.

AcceleDent is an FDA-cleared orthodontic acceleration device that works alongside active braces and Invisalign treatment.

If your practice offers it, the clinical decision is the easy part. The paperwork and the follow-up are what decide whether patients use the device as prescribed.

This guide covers how the device works, the current specifications, and the five steps for folding it into your workflow. The downloadable bundle at the top gives you a consent form and the patient-facing instructions to go with it.

What is AcceleDent?

AcceleDent is a battery-powered supplemental device that patients use during active orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign. A custom-fit mouthpiece delivers gentle micropulses to the teeth and the surrounding alveolar bone. The mechanism is called SoftPulse Technology, and it operates at 30 Hz, or 30 cycles per second.

Those micropulses are intended to stimulate bone remodeling pathways, so teeth move through bone faster than with braces alone. The FDA granted the original 510(k) clearance on November 22, 2011, as a Class II device supplemental to conventional orthodontics.

Clinical study data, mostly from OrthoAccel-sponsored research, reports treatment time falling by up to 50% with consistent daily use. That claim is why the device became an attractive add-on for practices that want to compete on treatment length.

How SoftPulse Technology speeds up bone remodeling

The device delivers calibrated micropulses at 30 Hz to the teeth and the periodontal ligament. Those vibrations are intended to stimulate osteoblast and osteoclast activity in the alveolar bone, which is the process that lets teeth move.

Braces or aligners supply the force. With the micropulses added, bone resorbs on the pressure side and rebuilds on the tension side faster than with force alone.

Patients bite gently on the custom mouthpiece for 20 minutes a day. That daily protocol carries the entire claim, because inconsistent use cuts the potential benefit sharply. Reminders and follow-up on the practice side are what keep a case on schedule.

Optima, Aura and the device generations

AcceleDent Optima, cleared by the FDA in 2017, is the current generation and it replaced the earlier Aura model. Optima keeps the same 20-minute daily protocol and the same 30 Hz frequency, with updated SoftPulse Technology and a revised mouthpiece.

Aura units are still in circulation, so check which generation a patient has before you write their usage instructions. Clinical evidence for either generation comes from the same body of AcceleDent research. Verify the current published studies with the manufacturer or in the orthodontic journals.

Compatibility with Invisalign, braces and other appliances

The mouthpiece accommodates traditional fixed braces, clear aligners such as Invisalign, and hybrid approaches. The device is not appliance-specific. What matters is the micropulse reaching the teeth, whatever force system is doing the moving.

AcceleDent supplements active orthodontic mechanics and does not replace them. The device straightens nothing on its own, so it only accelerates movement where conventional or aligner-based force is already applied.

Clinical evidence and FDA clearance status

AcceleDent holds FDA 510(k) clearance as a Class II supplemental orthodontic device, first granted on November 22, 2011. Clearance rests on substantial equivalence to existing orthodontic vibration devices, plus clinical data.

Most published efficacy studies are sponsored by the manufacturer, OrthoAccel Technologies, and independent peer-reviewed research is limited. Before you market the device, review the current literature in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and the Angle Orthodontist. You can also check the FDA 510(k) status yourself.

Safety data shows the device is generally well tolerated when used as directed. It is cleared for patients 12 years and older, so verify age limits against the current prescribing information.

Contraindications are limited, but they may include active periodontal disease, untreated caries, and certain implant or TMJ conditions. Candidacy stays a clinical judgment call.

AcceleDent vs. VPro5: How the alternatives differ

VPro5, made by Propel Orthodontics, is AcceleDent’s main competitor in the orthodontic vibration market. Both devices hold FDA clearance, and they differ in frequency and in what they are cleared to do.

The frequency difference matters less than the cleared indication. Ask both manufacturers for head-to-head comparative data, and read the specific claims each one makes before you commit to a device.

How to integrate the device into your practice workflow

Adoption comes down to who you select and what you document. The five steps below are where the practice-side work sits, and the consent form is step two of five.

1. Patient selection and candidacy screening. Not every orthodontic patient is a good candidate. Pick patients with a solid compliance history, realistic expectations and no contraindications. Use patient intake software to document the screening result and the patient’s suitability at the treatment planning stage.
2. Informed consent and device education. Cover the mechanism, the 20 minutes a day, the study-supported acceleration claims, the risks and the adherence expectations. The signed form goes in the patient chart. The downloadable template above gives you a starting point.
3. Device setup and baseline documentation. Record the serial number, the fitting date and the baseline treatment stage. That means months into active treatment, current arch stage and appliance type. It gives you a reference point for compliance and progress.
4. Reminders and usage tracking. Set up automated patient reminders by text and email, weekly or bi-weekly, prompting the daily 20 minutes. Log reported use at each follow-up visit.
5. Compliance monitoring and adjustment. At each visit, ask about usage frequency, discomfort, missed days and device faults. Where compliance is slipping, adjust the follow-up schedule before the case falls behind.

Log the device in your practice management system rather than on a paper sheet. Patient communication portals can carry the instructions, the usage reminders and the progress updates. Documenting use at every visit is what demonstrates the value of the add-on when a patient questions the fee.

Pricing and practice acquisition

The device is sold or leased to patients through several channels, and practice acquisition models vary. Some practices buy devices outright and build them into the treatment fee. Others run loaner programs through OrthoAccel, or send patients to buy direct.

Device cost varies by region and distributor, so contact OrthoAccel for current pricing. Patient out-of-pocket cost typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 to buy, or $300 to $500 a month on a lease. Treat both as estimates and confirm them with the manufacturer.

Clarify reimbursement with insurers before you offer the device. Most dental plans do not cover AcceleDent as a primary benefit, though some allow it as a patient-elected add-on. Documentation of medical necessity and clearance status helps when an insurer asks.

What the consent form must cover

The downloadable bundle at the top of this guide includes a full patient consent form and a provider-facing integration checklist. An effective consent document covers seven areas:

• Device description. A plain-language explanation of what the device is and how SoftPulse Technology works.
• Expected use protocol. The 20 minutes a day, plus instructions on mouthpiece fit and activation.
• Informed consent declarations. The patient acknowledges the device is supplemental, that results are not guaranteed, and that benefit depends on daily use.
• Potential benefits. The manufacturer-supported research, including the up-to-50% figure, stated with the caveat that individual results vary.
• Risks and side effects. Mild gum sensitivity, minor discomfort and device faults are uncommon but possible. Serious adverse events are rare.
• Cost and payment terms. The patient’s cost, the payment schedule and any financing options.
• Compliance commitment. The patient agrees to daily use and to report problems at follow-up appointments.

Keep the wording readable for a lay audience, leave time for questions, and retain the signed copy in the chart. Our dental treatment consent form covers the same ground for restorative cases, so the two can share one signing workflow.

Pair the consent form with the one-page patient FAQ sheet in the bundle. It answers the questions patients ask at the chair about daily use, timing, compatibility with their appliance, and how long treatment should now take.

Documentation and record-keeping best practices

Keep records of device use and clinical outcomes as the case runs. At each orthodontic visit, document four things:

• Patient-reported compliance, as days per week of 20-minute use.
• Any device issues or patient concerns raised at the visit.
• Observable clinical progress against the treatment plan.
• Any change to the treatment plan or the follow-up schedule.

That record does two jobs. It shows what the device is doing for this patient. It also gives you a data trail if a fee is disputed or an insurer asks. An AI medical scribe can take note entry off your hands without thinning the detail.

Patient communication and education resources

Beyond the signed form, hand patients written material covering four points:

• How to use the device and activate the mouthpiece.
• A suggested daily slot for the 20 minutes.
• What results to expect, and when.
• What to do when the device will not activate or the mouthpiece does not seat.

The bundle includes a patient instruction card and an appointment reminder workflow you can import into your practice management system. Send a short check-in message every few weeks, so the habit survives past the first month.

How Pabau keeps consent and compliance on one record

Most practices run this on paper and goodwill. The consent form gets printed, signed and scanned. Usage is a question asked at the chair, and the answer lands in a free-text note that nobody can report on later.

Practice management software like Pabau moves that into one record. The consent form goes out as a digital form the patient signs before the fitting, and the signed copy files itself against the chart. Automated text and email reminders carry the daily 20-minute prompt.

Usage then gets logged as structured data at each visit, so you can pull a list of patients whose compliance is slipping. Every Pabau subscription includes the forms, the reminders and the patient portal, so none of this sits behind an upgrade.

The outcome is a case file that answers both questions a parent or an insurer might ask. Did the patient consent, and did the patient use the device as prescribed?

Keep consent and compliance on one record

Pabau’s digital consent forms, automated reminders and patient portal handle AcceleDent paperwork from signature to compliance review. Your team stops chasing scans and paper usage logs.

Book a demo

Conclusion

AcceleDent buys treatment time only when the patient uses it every day, so the device is only as good as your follow-up. The clinical decision is the easy half of the offer.

Screen for compliance history before you offer it, put the claims in writing, and build the reminders before the first device leaves the practice. Do that, and a disputed fee or an insurer query has a documented answer waiting.

The trade-off worth remembering is the evidence base. Most of it is manufacturer-sponsored, so promise a shorter treatment carefully and let the consent form carry the caveat. Book a demo to see how Pabau handles the consent forms, reminders and usage records behind an AcceleDent program.

Continue your research

Need a consent form for restorative work too? Dental treatment consent form covers treatment description, risks and cost disclosure for general dental cases.

Treating a patient under 18? Consent to treat minor form captures the guardian and authorized caregiver details your chart needs before the fitting.

Fitting an appliance rather than a device? DNA appliance template bundles the intake form, the consent form and the progress notes for appliance therapy.

Charting the case before treatment starts? Tooth charts gives you a printable chart for recording existing restorations and tracking movement.

Onboarding a new orthodontic patient? Dental new patient form collects registration, medical history and insurance details before the first appointment.

Frequently asked questions